Finding 526902 (2024-003)

FINDING 2024-003 Subject: Special Education Cluster (IDEA) -Earmarking Federal Agency: Department of Education Federal Program: COVID-19 - Special Education Preschool Grants Assistance Listings Number: 84.173X Federal Award Number and Year (or Other Identifying Number): 22619-130-ARP Pass-Through Entity: Indiana Department of Education Compliance Requirement: Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking Audit Findings: Material Weakness, Other Matters Repeat Finding This is a repeat finding from the immediately prior audit report. The prior audit finding number is 2022-002 Condition and Context An effective internal control system was not designed, nor implemented at the School Corporation to ensure compliance with requirements related to the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. Proportionate share is an amount of funds that must be expended on special education/related services for parentally placed private school and homeschooled students. The amount to be spent is automatically calculated within each grant application. The School Corporation had not designed, nor implemented, policies and procedures to ensure that the required level of expenditures for non-public students was met for each grant. The Non-Public Proportionate Share expenditures for the 22619-130-ARP grant were not spent in full, and the School Corporation did not file a waiver which if approved would have allowed the funds to be moved and spent under the regular Part B special education scope. The lack of internal controls and noncompliance were isolated to the 22619-130-ARP grant award. Criteria 2 CFR 200.303 states in part: "The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in 'Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government' issued by the Comptroller General of the United States or the 'Internal Control Integrated Framework', issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). . . ." 2 CFR 200.403 states in part: "Except where otherwise authorized by statute, costs must meet the following general criteria in order to be allowable under Federal awards: (g) Be adequately documented. . . ." 2 CFR 200.208(b) states in part: "The Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may adjust specific Federal award conditions as needed . . ." 511 IAC 7-34-7(b) states: "The public agency, in providing special education and related services to students in nonpublic schools must expend at least an amount that is the same proportion of the public agency total subgrant under 20 U.S.C. 1411(f) as the number of nonpublic school students with disabilities, who are enrolled by their parents in nonpublic schools within its boundaries, is to the total number of students with disabilities of the same age range." Cause Management had not designed nor implemented a system of internal controls that would have ensured compliance with the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. The business office was not included in nonpublic meetings to know that open funds are not being clearly communicated with the nonpublic schools. Effect The failure to establish an effective system of internal controls enabled noncompliance to go undetected. The parentally placed private school and homeschooled students could be deprived of this funding. Noncompliance with the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement could result in the loss of future funds to the School Corporation. Questioned Costs There were no questioned costs identified. Recommendation We recommended that the School Corporation's management establish a system of internal controls to ensure compliance and comply with the grant agreement and the Matching, Level of Effort, Earmarking compliance requirement. Views of Responsible Officials For the views of responsible officials, refer to the Corrective Action Plan that is part of this report.